Automated telephony testing and polling apparatus

Claim 2

In combination, digital processing means, at least one input source means connected to said processing means, said input source means including means for supplying to said processing means telephone subscriber identification number, said processing means including means for determining the operation desired by said input source means for said subscriber number, plural special trunks each adapted to not cause subscriber ringing when a subscriber is accessed thereover, subscriber access means responsive to information entered in said processing means for accessing a selected telephone subscriber via a selected one of said special trunk means, test circuit means, and means for automatically connecting said test circuit means to said selected special trunk means.

Claim 3

A combination as in claim 1 wherein said test circuit means includes means for serially and automatically effecting plural tests on a subscriber line connected thereto.

Claim 4

A combination as in claim 1 furtHer comprising a plurality of subscriber stations connectable to said special trunks, plural signal source means located at plural subscriber stations, and a modem at said plural subscriber stations for selectively enabling a connection from said signal source means to the subscriber line, wherein said test circuit means further comprise means for operatively engaging said modem, and means for receiving information transmitted from said modem.

Claim 5

A combination as in claim 2 wherein said input means comprises means for automatically entering plural subscriber information requests in said processing means.

Claim 6

A combination as in claim 3 wherein said input means comprises means for automatically entering plural subscriber information requests in said processing means.

Claim 7

In combination in apparatus operative upon subscriber cable pair, central processing means, input/output means connected to said central processing means for data flow therebetween, plural special trunks each adapted to not cause subscriber ringing when a subscriber is accessed thereover, said input means being adapted to supply telephone subscriber identification numbers to said central processing means, and means responsive to processing of a subscriber number by said central processing means for seizing a selected one of said plural special trunks and for initiating signaling via said selected special trunk for seizing a subscriber cable pair, said trunk selection and subscriber cable pair seizing means comprising plural interface circuits each including means for seizing at least a subset of said special trunks, and an interface selection circuit, said interface selection circuit including means responsive to the processed output of said central processing means operating upon at least said subscriber number supplied thereto for signaling a selected one of said interface circuits for seizing an appropriate one of said plural special trunks, each of said interface circuits further comprising means responsive to one of said special trunks having been seized for signaling via said seized special trunk for seizing the cable pair associated with the subscriber identified by said input means.

Claim 8

In combination in apparatus operative upon subscriber cable pair, central processing means, input/output means connected to said central processing means for data flow therebetween, plural special trunks each adapted to not cause subscriber ringing when a subscriber is accessed thereover, said input means being adapted to supply telephone subscriber identification numbers to said central processing means, and means responsive to processing of a subscriber number by said central processing means for seizing a selected one of said plural special trunks and for initiating signaling via said selected special trunk for seizing a subscriber cable pair, said trunk selection and subscriber cable pair seizing means comprising plural interface circuits each including means for seizing at least a subset of said special trunks, and an interface selection circuit, said interface selection circuit including means responsive to the processed output of said central processing means operating upon at least said subscriber number supplied thereto for signaling a selected one of said interface circuits for seizing an appropriate one of said plural special trunks, each of said interface circuits further comprising means responsive to one of said special trunks having been seized for signaling via said seized special trunk for seizing the cable pair associated with the subscriber identified by said input means.

Claim 9

A combination as in claim 6 further comprising test circuit means selectively connected to a subscriber cable pair via a selected one of said interface circuits, said test circuit including means for effecting operations on the subscriber cable pair in accordance with the mode of operation signaled thereto by said central processing means.

Claim 10

A combination as in claim 7 wherein said test circuit further comprises plural execution means for examining plural electrical parameters characterizing the seized subscriber cable pair, and means for serially enabling each of said execution means.

Claim 11

A combination as in claim 7 wherein said test circuit means operation effecting means comprises means for polling the subscriber cable pair identified by said input means, and further comprising plural signal sources and transponder means connected to plural subscriber cable pair, said transponder means including means responsive to an inquiry command impressed on the subscriber cable pair by said test circuit means for reporting to said test circuit means the status of said signal source.

Claim 12

A combination as in claim 9 wherein said signal source comprises at least one utility meter, and wherein said transponder means includes a self-exciting stepping switch and means enabled by an alternating current tone issued by said test circuit means for triggering said stepping switch, said utility meter including electrical read out means interrogating in turn by outputs from said stepping switch, and tone generator means responsive to the electrical output of said utility meter for signaling said test circuit.

Claim 13

A combination as in claim 6 wherein said interface circuits each comprise plural input control leads for signaling the availability status of said special trunks accessible thereto, clocked selector circuitry For selecting an available one of said accessible trunks and for providing an electrical output of the trunk selected.

Claim 14

A combination as in claim 11 wherein said subscriber line signaling and seizing means in each of said interface circuits comprises off hook means, dial tone detecting means, automatic dialer means, and cut through detector means.

Claim 15

In combination in apparatus operative upon subscriber cable pair, central processing means, input/output means connected to said central processing means for data flow therebetween, plural special trunks each adapted to not cause subscriber ringing when a subscriber is accessed thereover, said input means being adapted to supply telephone subscriber identification numbers to said central processing means, and means responsive to processing of a subscriber number by said central processing means for seizing a selected one of said plural special trunks and for initiating signaling via said selected special trunk for seizing a subscriber cable pair, said trunk selection and subscriber cable pair seizing means comprising plural interface circuits each including means for seizing at least a subset of said special trunks, an interface selection circuit, said interface selection circuit including means responsive to the processed output of said central processing means operating upon at least said subscriber number supplied thereto for signaling a selected one of said interface circuits for seizing an appropriate one of said plural special trunks, each of said interface circuits further comprising means responsive to one of said special trunks having been seized for signaling via said seized special trunk for seizing the cable pair associated with the subscriber identified by said input means wherein said interface circuits each comprise plural input control leads for signaling the availability status of said special trunks accessible thereto, clocked selector circuitry for selecting an available one of said accessible trunks and for providing an electrical output of the trunk selected, wherein said subscriber line signaling and seizing means in each of said interface circuits comprises off hook means, dial tone detecting means, automatic dialer means, and cut through detector means, wherein each of said interface circuits further comprises shift register means, clocking means for gating information from said interface selection circuit into said shift register, and means for signaling said interface selection circuit as to the availability status of said interface circuit.

Claim 16

In combination in apparatus operative upon subscriber cable pair, central processing means, input/output means connected to said central processing means for data flow therebetween, plural special trunks each adapted to not cause subscriber ringing when a subscriber is accessed thereover, said input means being adapted to supply telephone subscriber identification numbers to said central processing means, and means responsive to processing of a subscriber number by said central processing means for seizing a selected one of said plural special trunks and for initiating signaling via said selected special trunk for seizing a subscriber cable pair, said trunk selection and subscriber cable pair seizing means comprising plural interface circuits each including means for seizing at least a subset of said special trunks, an interface selection circuit, said interface selection circuit including means responsive to the processed output of said central processing means operating upon at least said subscriber number supplied thereto for signaling a selected one of said interface circuits for seizing an appropriate one of said plural special trunks, each of said interface circuits further comprising means responsive to one of said special trunks having been seized for signaling via said seized special trunk for seizing the cable pair associated with the subscriber identified by said input means wherein said interface circuits each comprise plural input control leads for signaling the availability status of said special trunks accessible thereto, clocked selector circuitry for selecting an available one of said accessible trunks and for providing an electrical output of the trunk selected, wherein said subscriber line signaling and seizing means in each of said interface circuits comprises off hook means, dial tone detecting means, automatic dialer means, and cut through detector means, wherein each of said interface circuits further comprises shift register means, clocking means for gating information from said interface selection circuit into said shift register, and means for signaling said interface selection circuit as to the availability status of said interface circuit.

Claim 17

A combination as in claim 13 wherein said trunk selecting means of each of said interface circuits comprises a coincidence gate, a counter cycled by said coincidence gate, means for decoding the output state of said counter and additional coincidence gates responsive to the output of said decoder and to the signals supplied by said trunk availability signaling control leads for selectively blocking said coincidence gate.

Claim 18

A combination as in claim 14 further comprising means responsive to the output of said trunk selecting means for seizing a selected one of said special trunks.

Claim 19

A combination as in claim 6 wherein said interface selection circuit comprises input means for signaling the availability status of said plural interface circuits, and selector means for selecting an available one of said interface circuits.

Claim 20

In combination in apparatus operative upon subscriber cable pair, central processing means, input/output means connected to said central processing means for data flow therebetween, plural special trunks each adapted to not cause subscriber ringing when a subscriber is accessed thereover, said input means being adapted to supply telephone subscriber identification numbers to said central processing means, and means responsive to processing of a subscriber number by said central processing means for seizing a selected one of said plural special trunks and for initiating signaling via said selected special trunk for seiZing a subscriber cable pair, said trunk selection and subscriber cable pair seizing means comprising plural interface circuits each including means for seizing at least a subset of said special trunks, an interface selection circuit, said interface selection circuit including means responsive to the processed output of said central processing means operating upon at least said subscriber number supplied thereto for signaling a selected one of said interface circuits for seizing an appropriate one of said plural special trunks, each of said interface circuits further comprising means responsive to one of said special trunks having been seized for signaling via said seized special trunk for seizing the cable pair associated with the subscriber identified by said input means, wherein said interface selection circuit comprises input means for signaling the availability status of said plural interface circuits, and selector means for selecting an available one of said interface circuits, wherein said interface selection circuit further comprises shift register means, means for clocking information processed by said central processing means into said interface selection circuit shift register means responsive to an interrupt signal supplied thereto by said central processing means.

Claim 21

In combination in apparatus operative upon subscriber cable pair, central processing means, input/output means connected to said central processing means for data flow therebetween, plural special trunks each adapted to not cause subscriber ringing when a subscriber is accessed thereover, said input means being adapted to supply telephone subscriber identification numbers to said central processing means, and means responsive to processing of a subscriber number by said central processing means for seizing a selected one of said plural special trunks and for initiating signaling via said selected special trunk for seiZing a subscriber cable pair, said trunk selection and subscriber cable pair seizing means comprising plural interface circuits each including means for seizing at least a subset of said special trunks, an interface selection circuit, said interface selection circuit including means responsive to the processed output of said central processing means operating upon at least said subscriber number supplied thereto for signaling a selected one of said interface circuits for seizing an appropriate one of said plural special trunks, each of said interface circuits further comprising means responsive to one of said special trunks having been seized for signaling via said seized special trunk for seizing the cable pair associated with the subscriber identified by said input means, wherein said interface selection circuit comprises input means for signaling the availability status of said plural interface circuits, and selector means for selecting an available one of said interface circuits, wherein said interface selection circuit further comprises shift register means, means for clocking information processed by said central processing means into said interface selection circuit shift register means responsive to an interrupt signal supplied thereto by said central processing means.

Claim 22

A combination as in claim 17 wherein said interface selection circuit further comprises multiplexing means responsive to an interface circuit identifying output of said interface selector means for supplying information stored in said interface selection circuit shift register to the interface circuit identified by said selector means.

Claim 23

A combination as in claim 18 wherein said interface selector means comprises a coincidence gate, a counter cycled by said coincidence gate, a decoder connected to the output of said counter, and plural additional coincidence gates responsive to the outputs of said decoder and to the interface availability status signaling means for selectively blocking said coincidence gate.

Claim 24

A combination as in claim 19 wherein said interface selection circuit further comprises means for signaling the availability status thereof to said central processing means.

Claim 25

In combination in apparatus operative upon subscriber lines, central processing means, input terminal means connected to said central processing means for data flow therebetween, said input means including means for supplying to said central processing means subscriber identification and an operation code, a plurality of special trunks selected from the group consisting of test and no-test trunks, a switching matrix including means for establishing connections to said special trunks, at least one central office interposed between said special trunks and subscriber lines, said central processing means including means responsive to the input signals supplied thereto by said input means for generating output signals comprising subscriber identity, trunk group designations by which a subscriber line may be accessed, information characterizing the subscriber''s central office, and the operation code desired, interface circuitry interposed between said central processing means and said switching matrix, said interface circuitry including means for seizing a trunk meeting the constraints signaled by said central processing means and means operative over said seized one of said special trunks for seizing the subscriber pair by signaling the subscriber''s said central office in accordance with subscriber identity information and central office signaling parameters supplied by said central processing means.

Claim 26

In combination in apparatus operative upon subscriber lines, central processing means, input terminal means connected to said central processing means for data flow therebetween, said input means including means for supplying to said central processing means subscriber identification and an operation code, a plurality of special trunks selected from the group consisting of test and no-test trunks, a switching matrix including means for establishing connections to said special trunks, at least one central office interposed between said special trunks and subscriber lines, said central processing means including means responsive to the input signals supplied thereto by said input means for generating output signals comprising subscriber identity, trunk group designations by which a subscriber line may be accessed, information characterizing the subscriber''s central office, and the operation code desired, interface circuitry interposed between said central processing means and said switching matrix, said interface circuitry including means for seizing a trunk meeting the constraints signaled by said central processing means and means operative over said seized one of said special trunks for seizing the subscriber pair by signaling the subscriber''s said central office in accordance with subscriber identity information and central office signaling parameters supplied by said central processing means.

Claim 27

A combination as in claim 21 further comprising test circuit means operative in response to service request signaling issued by said interface circuitry for testing electrical parameters of said subscriber line.

Claim 28

A combination as in claim 21 further comprising test circuit means operative in response to service request signaling issued by said interface circuitry for polling a subscriber line.

Claim 29

A combination as in claim 23 wherein at least a subset of the subscriber lines have connected thereto modems, each of said modems including means for rendering said modem operable responsive to commands issued by said test circuit means.

Claim 30

A combination as in claim 21 wherein said interface circuitry comprises plural interface circuits and an interface selector circuit for distributing service requests supplied thereto by said central processing means between said plural interface circuits.